Hitting the Sweet Spot: England's Victoria Sponge Cake

Representing England and hitting the sweet spot for Euro 2024, the Victoria Sponge is a classic dessert named after Queen Victoria.

Known to enjoy a slice of this delightful cake with her afternoon tea, it's a perfect treat to celebrate the football festivities. With its simple yet elegant layers of sponge, buttercream, and strawberry jam, this cake is sure to score big at any gathering.

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (fan). Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the caster sugar, softened butter, beaten eggs, self-raising flour, baking powder, and milk until you have a smooth batter.
3. Divide the mixture between the tins and smooth the surface with a spoon.
4. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden and the cake springs back when pressed.
5. Turn the sponge out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
6. Heat the IQF strawberries, jam sugar, lemon juice, and water, bring to a simmer and cook until a jam consistency is achieved. (You can test the consistency by placing a plate in a chiller, then placing a spoonful of the jam on the plate to cool quickly for evaluation). When the desired consistency is obtained, remove from heat, add to a bowl, and allow to cool completely.
7. To make the buttercream, beat the 100g of softened butter until soft and creamy. Mix the vanilla flavour through the icing sugar, then gradually add to the butter while beating.
8. Spread the buttercream over the bottom of one of the sponges, top with the strawberry jam, and sandwich the second sponge on top.
9. Dust with a little icing sugar before serving.

Enjoy this quintessentially British dessert while cheering for England in Euro 2024. Perfect for an afternoon tea or a football party, the Victoria Sponge is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.